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The Stafford Knot is an independent publication and not affiliated with any specific breed club. TSK is a collaborative effort from like minded Stafford enthusiasts whose common goal is to support the health testing of purebred Staffords. We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any material submitted. All material on this site is copyright protected & cannot be used unless indicated without the written consent of The Stafford Knot Thank you.
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JMAR/APR 2012 P R O M O T I N G T H E S T A F F O R D S H I R E B U L L T E R R I E R ISSUE #2 VOL 3 FREE
PHIL DRABBLE
PAGE 14
The Stafford Knot The Stafford Knotpromotes
Health TestedStaffords
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
‘STRUCTURE’
PAGE 40
VACCINATION REACTIONS CAN MIMIC
DISEASE SYMPTOMS
PAGE 7
HEALTH TESTING
INFO
PAGE 44
BRAGS
PAGE 42
PLAYING COI: USING
INBREEDING COEFFICIENTS
PAGE 22
Cover Story on Page 4
FEATURED RESCUES
PAGE 46KENNEL BLINDNESS
PAGE 28
BULL & TERRIER
PAGE 34
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The Stafford Knot is an independent publication and not affiliated with any specific breed club. TSK is a collaborative effort from like minded Stafford enthusiasts whose common goal is to support the health testing of purebred Staffords.
We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any material submitted.
All material on this site is copyright protected & cannot be used unless indicated without the written consent of The Stafford Knot Thank you. Contact Us
TSK benefits Stafford rescue worldwide © 2009 - 2012 BrownDog Design
We welcome Fundraiser representatives and article contributions from interested parties. Please contact us if for more information how you can get involved.
Thank you also to our Rescue Coordinators Worldwide
Lynn Caswell - Sr. Editor , Ad DesignChris Kerrigan - ColumnistErika Phillips - ColumnistLinda Strange - Administrator Worldwide Guest Authors/Historians - Article Contribution
Special thank you goes to those selfless people who assist with Stafford rescues on a regular basis - if you can help transport, foster, donate or adopt - there is sadly always a need! TSK is here to raise funds
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Stud Gallery Page 48Classifieds Page 52Breeder Directory page 53Illustrated Breed Standard page 55 & scattered throughout issueBack Issues page 64
All historical and/or current photos and articles used in this publication were sent to us by our readers unless otherwise stated. In such instances all permissions were acquired prior to publication. We take no responsibility for use of images widely available on the internet or sent to us by owners or breeders of dogs mentioned in this publication. If you wish to have photo credit given it is the responsibility of the photographer to send to us in writing during the current issue publication your wish and we will do our best to accommodate.
Full Color Ads of Top Staffords, Kennels & Vendors Dog/Kennel Ads, Brags, Breeder Directory, Club Announcements, Stud Gallery Litter Announcements & Informative Articles WORLDWIDE Publication24/7 Accessibility, No Waiting For Delivery!DIRECT DISTRIBUTION to Stafford Judges WorldwideNo PAID Subscriptions needed!Interactive Advertisements Back Issues Archived online
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EDDIE FINISHED WITH (3) 4 POINT MAJOR WINS
AND 3 SINGLE POINTS AND IS RAMSTAFF KENNELS 16TH CHAMPION!
ANGIE WAS NOT ONLY PART OF THE ORIGINAL TSK TEAM, BUT ALSO ONE OF
THE STRONGEST WOMEN MANY OF US HAVE MET TO DATE. SHE WAS ALWAYS
SMILING AND HAD A PLEASANT WORD TO SAY ABOUT EVERYONE. SHE WAS
USUALLY FOUND RUSHING TO THE RING, TALKING PEDIGREES, CHEERING UP A
FRIEND OR RELAXING WITH FRIENDS ENJOYING THE DAY. ANGIE HAD A SMILE
THAT SHE WAS KNOWN FOR AND LOVED LOVED LOVED HER DOGS. SHE WAS
A HARLEY RIDER, A WONDERFUL FRIEND AND WIFE AND SOMEONE MANY OF
US WILL TRULY MISS.
REST IN PEACE ANGIE.
CH RICHMAX DREAM CATCHER - “EDDIE” (SA IMPORT)
L2-HGA/HC/CARDIAC CLEAR
SIRED BY
SA BIS CH RICHMAX DREAM MAKER
OUT OF
BETHANE BLACK BESS (UK IMP)
PLEASE JOIN US IN PERRY GEORGIA WHERE WE WILL BE PRESENTING
‘THE ANGIE BEEZLEY
BEST OF BREED
SOUTHEAST COMMEMORATIVE TROPHY’
AT THE SE REGIONAL SPECIALTY ON SATURDAY APRIL 14. THIS WILL BE A PERPETUAL TROPHY IN REMEMBRANCE OF ANGIE’S RINGSIDE SPIRIT,
GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP & HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
P E A C H B L O S S O M C L U S T E R
Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America Area 2 Regional & National Specialty Weekend www.sbtca.com Show Chair: Vickie Candeto
SBTCA National Specialty Weekend Perry, Ga
Saturday, Apri l 14th - SE Regional Special ty Show - Sunday, Apri l 15th - SBTCA Nat ional Special ty Show
SE Regional Specialty ShowAtlanta KC - SaturdayRegular Classes Judge - Elliott B. WeissSweeps Judge: Mrs. Angela Addair, Frontier Staffords - USA
Saturday evening SBTCA Annual Meeting/Banquet/Auction beginning at 6:30pmBuffet Dinner: $25.00 per person to include Carving Station with
Roast Beef & Turkey, 3 sides, salad, desert, tea and coffee.
PayPal:
http://www.sbtca.com/apps/donate/index.php - "SBTCA National Specialty Reservations" or send check made payable to "SBTCA" to:
Michelle Bryant - SBTCA Treasurer
25150 Rolling Oak Road
Sorrento, FL 32776Please note on check "National Banquet"
Trophy Sponsorships and donations also accepted by Paypal
Don’t miss seeing the Angelika T Beezley memorial perpetual trophy which will be awarded to our BOB winner each year at this show.
Don’t miss out on a fantastic weekend of Conformation, Agility, Obedience, Rally, Membership Meeting, Auction, Banquet, Fun & Festivities full of Southern charm
and hospitality all in one indoor location!
Valdosta KC - ThursdayJudge - Judy Webb
Valdosta KC - FridayJudge - Gary L Doerge
Superintendent - www.onofrio.com
Shows close Wednesday 3/28/12
T-Shirt SalesIf interested in a T-Shirt, please contact Angie Addair for more information. T-Shirts must be ordered & paid for in advance! $20Angela Addair [email protected]
Thursday, April 12th – SBTCA Supported Entry & Friday, April 13th – SBTCA Supported Entry
SBTCA National Specialty ShowCombined Specialty Clubs of Ga - Sunday (Judge Change)Breed Specialist AKC Judge Mr. Christopher Jacksic, Jaxstock Staffords - USASweeps Judge: Ms. Lynn Heimbuch, ClassyStaffys - USA
Auction Items NeededPlease contactSusie Keel
Host HotelMicrotel Inn & Suites110 Fairview DrivePerry, GA 31069I 75 & Exit 1341-478-987-4004
$59.99 Single - $69.99 Double - $79.99 Suite
Rooms listed under Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America
www.aht.org.uk/genetics_tests.html [email protected]
Sales - we need people around the world to help us sell advertising. Ads are how we raise money to donate to Stafford rescues. If interested please send email to [email protected]
Editing - if you are familiar with ‘Pages’ software and work on a Mac please send us an email to [email protected]
Database - If you are interested in building a database of health tested Staffords and are able to volunteer please let us know - send email to [email protected]
Reporters - We are looking for show reporters from around the world to send us results from major shows. If you would like to volunteer for this new position please email - [email protected]
Writers - we are always looking for writers to send in articles for each issue. Please email [email protected] if your are interested and available
Volunteer positions available at The Stafford
Knot for 2012:
Vaccination is often thought of by the conventional veterinary community as a benign procedure intended to prevent
acute diseases, with side effects occurring only rarely. However, vaccination in certain sensitive individuals can result in a chronic
disease state that is long lasting or even fatal.
Vaccine-induced disease, called
“vaccinosis,” is understood as the disturbance of the life force or chi of the patient that may result in mental,
emotional and physical changes. These are induced by laboratory modification of a virus or bacterium to make a vaccine. Then, instead of seeing acute
expressions of disease, we are seeing symptoms of chronic illness over years or even a lifetime.
For example, symptoms of acute distemper virus infection in dogs include eye and nose discharge;
conjunctivitis; vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite; watery feces with blood, mucous and often a foul odor; spasms or seizures and paralysis;
eruptions around the mouth; swelling of feet often with red foot pads; pneumonia; skin eruptions; and in
chronic cases, emaciation.
What I have seen in my many years of private practice is that distemper and
other vaccines administered to prevent acute illness can contribute to symptoms seen in chronic disease and pathologies. Some symptoms often
seen in chronic canine illness include chronic runny eyes and conjunctivitis (tear stains in dogs, dry eye, chronic eye
allergies); chronic vomiting, diarrhea, appetite issues; emaciation; pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, GI
lymphoma; chronic spasms and
seizures (epilepsy, brain tumors); skin eruptions and swelling of feet and red feet pads; itching from lifelong skin
allergies; and eruptions around the mouth (seen in lip fold dermatitis). That is, adverse reactions from vaccination may mimic symptoms of the
very disease the vaccine was meant to prevent. Reactions may occur immediately or months or even
years later.
Symptoms of acute rabies infection include restlessness, viciousness,
avoidance of company, unusual affection, desire to travel, and inability to be restrained. Other symptoms are self biting; strange cries and howls;
inability to swallow resulting in gagging when eating and drinking; staring eyes; swallowing wood, stones and
other inedibles; destruction of blankets, clothing, etc.; convulsive seizures; throat spasms; increased sexual desire;
disturbed heart function; or excited and jerky breathing.
My biggest concern with pets are behavior changes presenting after
vaccination with either the distemper or rabies vaccine. This is usually along the lines of aggression, suspicion,
unusual fears, etc. The essential aspect in rabies vaccinosis is loss of impulse control. (Read more from Dr. Dym
about reactions seen after the rabies vaccine.)
Many pets may exhibit behaviors such as “reverse sneezing” and increased
mounting by neutered pets. Conventional medicine does not explain these odd symptoms, but
homeopathically these pets may be exhibiting symptoms of rabies vaccinosis. In my opinion, they are
fairly common.
Other vaccines may also contribute in their own way to chronic illness in our pets. Bordatella (kennel cough)
vaccination can lead to chronic coughing (diagnosed as collapsing trachea, COPD, or possibly eventual heart disease). Leptospirosis vaccination
often leads to chronic liver or kidney disease down the road, as well as chronic skin allergies. You certainly need
to follow the law with regards to rabies vaccination, however, most other vaccinations are optional, particularly
in adult pets vaccinated as puppies.
A homeopathic remedy given at the time of some immunizations can help reduce adverse reactions. Seek out a
veterinarian trained in homeopathy. If your pet is suffering from cancer or another acute or chronic disease, know
that more and more states and localities will allow an exemption to rabies vaccination. We hope that states
will soon allow a rabies antibody titer blood test instead of vaccination. (Please see the nonprofit study of the rabies vaccine by the Rabies Challenge
Fund).
If your pet is suffering from the above chronic disease symptoms, especially in
the days to months following a vaccination, he/she should be evaluated by a homeopathic veterinarian to try to
cure this disease state over time. Important note: Vaccine labels state that vaccines are to be administered to “healthy pets only.”
----- Dr. Michael Dym
To learn more about Dr Dym, see his website at www.canineworld.com/drdym To schedule a homeopathic phone consultation, please phone 856-577-8064 or 609-413-2194. You can also e-mail Dr Dym for a homeopathic or holistic consultation.
Vaccination Reactions Can Mimic Disease
www.psbtc.org
www.psbtc.org
The Stafford Knot is an independent publication and not affiliated with any specific breed club. TSK is a collaborative effort from like minded Stafford enthusiasts whose common goal is to support
the health testing of purebred Staffords. We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any material submitted.
All material on this site is copyright protected & cannot be used unless indicated without the written consent of
The Stafford KnotThank you.
Contact Us
For more info go to http://psbtc.org or email [email protected]
http://www.staffie-rescue.org
www.sta f f iesonl ine .org .uk
Merchandise also available at www.cafepress.com/thankdog
L2-HGA & HC DATABASE PROJECT
THE STAFFORD KNOT ONLY ACCEPTS ADS FROM OWNERS AND BREEDERS OF DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN HEALTH TESTED. THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS ARE L2-HGA & HC TESTING. WE PROVIDE INFORMATION ON WHERE TO GO TO HAVE THESE SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE TESTS PERFORMED.
DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED TO BE SCANNED AND SENT IN TO THE EDITORS FOR APPROVAL. FURTHER HEALTH TESTING (CARDIAC, CERF, PHPV, HIPS, ELBOWS, PATELLA, ETC) IS ALSO ENCOURAGED. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO BUYERS THAT THEY SEE THESE DOCUMENTS PRIOR TO PURCHASING THEIR NEW STAFFORD.
IF ALL BREEDERS AND OWNERS WERE TO TEST, STAFFORDS WOULD ALL BE BETTER OFF SIMPLY BY THE FACT THAT WE WOULD HAVE MORE INFORMATION REGARDING WHERE THIS BREED IS GOING AS FAR AS HEALTH MATTERS ARE CONCERNED.
TO FURTHER THIS POINT, IF ONLY CLEAR TESTED (L2-HGA & HC) STAFFORDS ARE BRED FROM - THESE TWO GENETIC DISEASES COULD BE ERADICATED IN THREE GENERATIONS OF BREEDING. THAT’S CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
SOME ARGUE THAT THIS WOULD NARROW THE GENE POOL TOO MUCH AND IS NOT A NEEDED STEP TO IMPROVING THE FUTURE OF THIS BREED. TO THOSE I SAY, POSSIBLY, HOWEVER - IS THAT CARRIER STUD DOG SO STRUCTURALLY SUPERIOR TO HIS CLEAR TESTED BROTHER THAT YOU WOULDN’T CONSIDER USING THE BROTHER INSTEAD? JUST SOMETHING ELSE TO THINK ABOUT.
TSK IS COMPILING REGISTERED NAMES AND SCANNED DOCUMENTS OF ALL TESTED (CLEAR, CARRIER AND AFFECTED) STAFFORDS FOR A FUTURE DATABASE PROJECT SO THAT DOCUMENTATION WILL BE ON HAND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. IN THE U.S. OUR REGISTRIES DO NOT DOCUMENT THESE TEST RESULTS AS THE K.C. DOES IN THE U.K. THEREFORE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO OWN ‘CLEAR BY PARENTAGE’ STAFFORDS HAVE NO PROOF IN HAND SEVERAL GENERATIONS DOWN THE LINE. IN TIME, WE AT TSK HOPE THE DATABASE WILL HELP THOSE WHO WISH TO KNOW THE STATUS OF A PARTICULAR DOG OR LITTER.
IF YOU HAVE A TESTED STAFFORD - PLEASE SEND ONE EMAIL TO [email protected] CONTAINING THE FULL REGISTERED NAME, REGISTRATION NUMBER, SIRE AND DAM REGISTERED NAMES AND SCANNED COPIES OF ALL HEALTH TESTING DONE ON YOUR DOG. PLEASE ONLY SEND ONE EMAIL PER DOG. IN TIME, WE HOPE TO BUILD A NAME ONLY DATABASE WITH THIS INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING
We are also working on a database of semen stored from health tested stud dogs. If you have semen stored from a tested dog and wish to have him included, please email [email protected] with health scans, pedigree information and contact information. Also please indicate whether or not the semen is available for use.
Like most of the worthwhile things
in life, a good Stafford is not
attained without effort on the part
of his owner. If he is thoroughly
trained and well exercised, no dog
could possibly be a more delightful
companion. On the other hand, an
untrained, under-
exercised Stafford can do more
mischief in a few moments than any
dog I know.
This is easily understood when it is
realised that Staffords have been
bred for more than a century for
the sole purpose of dog-fighting.
When bull-baiting finally ceased,
about 1835, the men who
worshipped at the shrine of the
Game Dog transferred their
devotion from the bull-ring to the
dog pit. Dog-fighting had long been
very popular and bulldogs had been
crossed with various terriers to
produce the combination of
dauntless courage with agility and
endurance which was even more
necessary in the pit than the ring. At
first, the resulting crossbreds, which
must have been anything but
uniform, were called "bull-and-
terriers" and, as the best of them
were used for breeding, a new
breed was gradually evolved which
became known as 'bull terriers."
Some of these bull terriers took
after their bulldog ancestors and
were quite heavy "cloddy" dogs of
up to 50 lbs in weight. Others,
which took after the terriers, were
only between 10 and 20 lbs. There
was no "type", as the term is
understood by modern dog-
breeders. Men did not care what
they looked like so long as they
would fight; and, if they would not
fight, they went in the water-butt no
matter how good looking they
were.
Between 1860 and 1870 these bull
terriers were split into two camps.
James Hinks, of Birmingham, who
had always loved a game dog,
produced a white strain which he
registered at the Kennel Club as
"English Bull Terriers". It is believed
that they were produced by
crossing the original bull terriers
with Dalmatians, and much of their
gameness was quickly sacrificed for
looks, which was the only
commodity paying dividends in the
show ring. The original breed, which
was still unspoilt by crossing with
dogs which had not been bred for
gameness, was now barred from the
official title of Bull Terrier and it
gradually became known as the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier to
distinguish it from the newer breed.
The reason that Staffordshire was
used as the qualifying term, to
distinguish between the old and the
new, was that the colliers and
ironworkers of Staffordshire were
so attached to dog-fighting that the
sport became practically localised in
the Midlands.
Half a century went by without the
popularity of dog fighting waning,
despite spasmodic brushes with the
police. Nothing had been done to
standardise any type, for courage
and physical fitness were still the
only things which mattered. Any dog
which proved unusually successful in
the pit was certain to be used as a
sire irrespective of his looks and
there was still a wide variation of
types which have since become
curiously localised. In the Walsall
district it is common to find dogs of
34-38 lbs which are tall enough to
convey a suggestion of whippet in
their ancestry.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier By Phil Drabble
My own theory of this is that a faint cross of bull terrier was sometimes used to impart endurance to whippets and it is possible that the offspring of one of these crosses displayed sufficient aptitude for fighting to have been crossed back to bull terriers, for agility in the pit is as necessary as courage. Only a few miles from Walsall, in the Darlaston district, the Staffords obviously favour their terrier forbears. They are much "finer" in the muzzle and obviously
"terrier faced." They are smaller altogether and lighter boned, turning the scale at from 25-38 lbs, and occasionally] even lighter. The Darlaston men say all the others "must have been crossed with mastiff" and that "theirs" are the only real Staffords.
To confound them both, there is a third type to be found in the Cradley Heath area a few miles to the west. This time it is obvious that some members in the pedigree had more than a nodding acquaintance with a bulldog. Short, thick muzzle and broad skull, tremendous spring of ribs and breadth of chest, muscles which seem to be symbolic of
power, everything combines to convey an impression of doggedness. This time agility has been sacrificed for strength and yet there is an unmistakable resemblance between all three types. The expression of the face is the same and the way the tail is carried drooping like a pump handle; the characteristic high-pitched staccato bark and the mincing springy walk, which emphasises the constant craving for action. Who can say that one
type is "right" and the others "wrong"? Who can say that this dog is a "real" Stafford and that is not? Until very recent years, nobody minded very much so long as each was willing to give a good account in the pit. But that is changing now.
In 1935 it occurred to a band of owners that, as the police had become so extra-ordinarily fussy about dog-fighting since the Great War, it might be a good idea to arrange dog-shows as an alternative attraction. Accordingly, a schedule was drawn up to depict a scale of points for judging and the Kennel Club obliged by "recognising" the breed as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
It was natural that the men who drew up the scale of points should model their ideal from their own particular strains, which happened to be the "bulldoggy" type in favour in the Cradley Heath district. The result has been very far-reaching. Due to the publicity acquired from organised dog shows the popularity of Staffords has soared and their market value has been inflated in the same ratio. This attracted a new type of owner who is interested more in the value than the gameness of the breed, and who is loud in his assertion that the show type is "right" and that the show enthusiasts will "standardise" the breed and eradicate all which do not conform to the standard.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier By Phil Drabble
I feel very sorry about all this for I think it is a great pity to try to "breed out" all the types which do not conform to such an arbitrary standard. Fighting was the original purpose of the breed, yet all which do not waddle round the show ring without any display of fire are penalised. I have heard long arguments about which type is best for the pit. Some like the "reachey" dog, like the Walsall breed, because he can "fight down" on his adversary. Some like the stocky Cradley type because they are hard to knock off their feet. Some like the little terrier-like dogs which are so nippy and can do such damage by shaking. In the pit one triumphs today and another tomorrow. Despite the fact that failures were not given the opportunity to perpetuate their like, there were many good dogs of each type that there could have been nothing to choose for prowess. Yet the money to be by made by selling "pedigree" dogs is inducing owners not only to "standardise" to an arbitrary type but to exaggerate the points of that type, so that it appears more powerful by being thicker and lower to ground and bigger in skull than was any dog which fought in the pit.
This extraordinary variation in type of Staffords is by no means confined to physical appearance. All good Staffords are game, but some are essentially boisterous and rough while others are
equally docile and gentle, both characteristics being passed on through strains as definitely as physical appearance. Two very famous dogs, which I happen to have known very well, exhibited these tendencies to a marked degree - - Ch. Gentleman Jim and Great Bomber. Jim was all that his name implies, and generally speaking his offspring are tractable, intelligent and easily trained. Bomber on the other hand just could not keep still, was overflowing with boisterous friendliness and extremely headstrong. His type need an exceptionally firm (and occasionally heavy!) hand to control, whereas it is easy to hurt the gentler type's feelings and make them deeply offended with a few harsh words.
No dogs are physically tougher than Staffords, for they seem almost impervious to pain. I have seen my own bitch, which is "broken" to ferrets, go into the ferret pen to see what she can scrounge. One of the ferrets "pinned" her through the lip and hung on, which must have been pretty painful. Yet she didn't get annoyed or make any fuss but calmly came to find me to have it throttled off. It is this indifference to pain which makes them such peerless fighting dogs. Almost any dog will fight if he is winning, but it takes an exceptional dog to fight a long losing battle and then go back for more, when he has the chance not to; yet a good
Stafford will go back so long as he can crawl across. Despite this the breed is not naturally pugnacious, and it is unusual for a Stafford to begin his first fight. He is either "set on" by someone or attacked and fights back in self defense. But once he (or she, for bitches will fight) has tried fighting there is nothing they would rather do. And that is why I advise no one but a real enthusiast to embark upon the ownership of one of these dogs. The man who wants a dog for a household pet, but who expects it to run loose and look after itself will soon regret his choice. I have known them run loose in the streets and play with other dogs for two or three years. But sooner or later they either get hurt playing or mixed up in someone else's quarrel and suddenly realise what fun they have missed. From that time forth they need no second invitation and they fight to kill. Neither water nor any of the usual remedies will part them and I have seen a dog fighting a collie twice his size in a canal, where the owner of the collie had thrown them to part them. But the terrier could not loose and they both very nearly drowned before we could get them out. And owners who are not enthusiastic are often averse to getting sufficiently mixed up in the bother to choke their dog off, which is the only effective way.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier By Phil Drabble
Anyone who is willing to take the necessary pains to train and exercise a potential handful of trouble will be amply rewarded by finding it far less onerous than he thought. He will get devotion undreamed of in lesser breeds-and "Stafford men" regard all other breeds as curs. He will get a dog which is a peerless companion for children, though it will be necessary to watch that he doesn't "help" too vigorously if his young master has a quarrel with a playmate. He will have a dog which is unbeatable on rats and will be game to have a go at any other quarry his master selects. Some Staffords have made very fine gun dogs but, oddly enough, a high proportion are gun-shy, though often not initially. My own bitch for instance, came shooting quite happily at the beginning of her first season. She gradually took a dislike to the gun and it almost seemed as if it
wasn't the bang to which she objected but that she came to realise that something got killed when it went off and that my marksmanship wasn't so hot. Similarly many Staffords make fine water-dogs and I have seen them matched to beat spaniels and retrievers over a distance, but it is necessary to introduce them to water gradually and in warm weather, or they often will not take to it at all.
In a word, the Stafford is a dog of very exceptional character. Take great pains to develop it and direct it into useful channels and there is no breed in the world as good. Let it grow haphazard without training or care and you will have a villain whose only aim in life is to fight. "And to keep a fighting dog", they say, "you have to be a fighting man."
Staffordshire Bull Terrier By Phil Drabble
Phil Drabble , naturalist, polemicist and broadcaster. A devoted countryman and militant naturalist. He presented BBC's One Man and His Dog -‐ born May 14 1914, died July 29 2007
This article originally was published in The Field in 1941
He continued to write for the magazine for more than 40 years, resigning in 1989 in protest at the appointment of a woman editor who, he claimed, was bent on appealing "to what traditionalists call 'green wellie wallies'." From 1964 he wrote a regular column in the Birmingham Evening Mail, but was sacked in 1990 in a letter from the editor informing him that research had shown that "the countryside holds little interest" for the paper's readership.
He began recording programmes for BBC radio in 1947, beginning with one about the bull rings of the Black Country. He contributed to various programmes, including Country Lover, presented by Freddie Grisewood. Drabble eventually inherited the programme, which was renamed Countryside, then In The Country. Later he became a stalwart of Any Questions and wrote scenes for Tom Forrest in The Archers.
Drabble Virst appeared on television in 1957, with an item about his pet badger on a children's television programme. He went on to feature on many other programmes, including Badger Watch, Animal Magic, and My Favourite Things with Roy Plomley.When he was Virst invited to present One Man and His Dog, Drabble's initial reaction was to refuse because he thought the format would be so repetitious that viewers would be turned off. The unexpected success of the series, he felt, was down to the fact that it made "a refreshing change from the incessant sex, violence and politics spewed over our television screens" and fed people's nostalgia for the "deep values of true country folk".
www.staffierescuescotland.co.uk
www.staffordbook.com
First printed in Double Helix Network News, Spring 2000
by C.A. Sharp
Breeding dogs is a numbers game. Even though math problems are the last
thing on your mind, what you are doing when you breed is calculating the best odds for getting a desired result. But a
little applied mathematics, in the form of a coefficient of inbreeding (COI) can be helpful and even enlightening. Now
that technology allows even the mathematically challenged to put them to use, they are a tool that should be applied by every breeder.
Research in the fields of genetics, immunology, and veterinary medicine, is
turning up more and more information indicating that high levels of inbreeding can have deleterious effects on health.
Inbreeding depression, a complex of behavioral and physical reproductive problems, have long been recognized. Inbreeding can increase the frequency
of a disease in a population, sometimes quite rapidly. Inbreeding leads to increased incidence of immune-
mediated disease and cancer.
But, all pure breeds of domestic animals
are inbred. (Keep in mind that to a scientist “inbreeding” means the breeding of related animals, which would include what we call
“linebreeding.”) But how much is too much? Without it, the breeds could never have been developed and would
not breed true to type.
However, almost all breeds of purebred
dog already have well-established type.
There is no mistaking a Chihuahua for a St. Bernard. Or even a Greyhound from a Whippet. Given this, breeders would
be well advised to retain as much genetic diversity as possible within the existing breed population in order to avoid or reduce such unwanted health
problems as those mentioned above. Along with screening and maintaining detailed health records, another tool
available to you is the Coefficient of Inbreeding. Track COIs on your breeding stock. Calculate them on
proposed matings, with an eye to keeping the numbers low if they already are or lowering them where possible.
So, how is this done? Via a formula called Wright’s Coefficient of Inbreeding. It appears directly beneath
the title of this article. Before you drop this publication in a math-phobic panic attack, be advised that the only practical
way to use it is with a computer. For those who enjoy math or want more detailed background, there is an excellent discussion of applying the
formula hands-on in Malcolm Willis’ Genetics of the Dog, pages 320-326. For the rest of you, there are other
options.
The easiest way to incorporate COIs
into your strategy is to purchase a pedigree database program that will calculate them. CompuPed (which I use), Breeders Standard and Breedmate
all have functions for calculating COIs. Other breeder software may offer this feature as well. You will also need a
comprehensive pedigree database, including as many of the ancestors of present-day dogs as possible. Some
vendors can provide starter databases
for various breeds.
Now that we’ve soothed the math
anxiety, what exactly is a COI? It is the probability that a homozygous gene pair will be identical by descent from both sides of a pedigree. In the formula, FX is
your dog’s COI, FA is that of the ancestor common to both sides of the pedigree. n1 and n2 are the numbers of
generations on each side between your dog and that ancestor. In other words, if your dog Flux is a double-grandson of
FAbulous it tells you how likely it is you can get exactly the same gene passed down to Flux through each of his parents. (In case you are wondering, the
probability is 12.5%.) If FAbulous happened to be a Collie Eye Anomaly carrier, Flux would have a 12.5%, or a
one in eight chance, of having CEA thanks to Old Granddad. Total actual risk would be dependent on whether
there were any other carrier or affected individuals in the remainder of the pedigree, but whatever that might be, it is evident that FAbulous provided
a significant part of it.
Multiply this times a dog’s 80-100K
genes and it is apparent how quickly you can concentrate some genes—both good and bad—while others drift out
of your kennel’s gene puddle. Multiply that by all the people breeding a particular kind of dog and it can have remarkable effects on the breed’s gene
pool, especially if large numbers of them are making similar mating selections via the use of popular sires
or heavy linebreeding on the product of successful kennels.
Playing COI: Using inbreeding Coefficients
COIs can be calculated on any number
of generations, the simple two-generation example of Flux and FAbulous was useful to make a point (and keep the math simple) but few
purebred dogs have only one common ancestor on both sides of the pedigree and the more generations that can be
included in the calculation the more common ancestors will be found and the more accurate the COI will be. The
typical three to five generation pedigrees in common use are often insufficient. In my breed, the Australian Shepherd, five generations may appear
ot be loosely linebred or even out-crossed, but pedigrees extended to 10 generations, especially in show lines, will
prove this is often not the case.
But how far should you go? Even with a
computer the complexity of reviewing many thousands of ancestors and calculating large numbers of common ancestors can take hours on the
average PC. Since calculating all available information may not be practical, how do you know where to draw the line?
How many generations to use will vary from breed to breed, depending on
how many founders a breed had, how populous the breed is, whether there have been genetic bottlenecks, whether “new blood” has been introduced, and
how long the breed has been in existence.
Some breeds descend from a very few individuals, who are it’s genetic founders. Samoyeds, for example, go
back to about 20 dogs. Tracing everyone
back to the founders in such a situation will result in COIs that may vary only by tiny fractions of a percent. Therefore
selecting some intermediate number of generations for the calculation is the best option, unless the breed is very recent in origin and only a handful of
generations away from those few founders.
For breeds with large populations, sufficient generations should be calculated that the results will have
leveled out, so only small numerical differences will be achieved by pushing the calculation back a generation further. For example, if a one-
generation COI is calculated on good old Flux, the COI would be 0%. You are considering only his sire and dam who,
obviously, aren’t going to be the same dog. Extending it far enough to include FAbulous (two generations) produced
the 12.5% we saw earlier. What if the sire’s dam was one of FAbulous.’s daughters? Going into the third generation would tell us the COI was
18.75%. If the dam’s dam was out of FAbulous.’s full brother (linebreeding on the cross that produced FAbulous.), we
go back to the 4th generation to include FAbulous’s parents behind his brother the COI becomes 23.4%.
With each additional generation the COI will tend to climb but at some point the increase from one generation
to the next will be negligible. COIs should be calculated over sufficient generations so that most current dogs
will be at this point.
If breed population is small, preserving
its remaining genetic diversity is vital.
Calculate COI’s back far enough to reach founders and then, working together, breeders can use them to
equalizing representation of those founders in the over-all breed population. For example, if a breed had ten founders but most present
individuals descended only from three of them, much of the genetic potential of the breed’s gene pool is at risk of
being lost as genes from the less-represented founders fail to get passed down by their fewer descendants.
Equalizing founder representation by giving breeding preference to individuals that do not descend from the most-represented founders and in
avoiding crossing their descendants to each other will help preserve those under-represented genes. Since low-
population breeds are at greater risk from genetic disease, due to “no place to go,” maximizing genetic potential in
this manner may be the line between extinction and survival. In fact, it is the very technique used by zoos and others who are trying to preserve endangered
species in captivity.
Some breeds have suffered genetic
bottlenecks. By the end of World War II, many European breeds, including the English Mastiff and French Poodle, were
reduced to a handful of survivors. Today these breeds trace their pedigrees back to those dogs, who are therefore effective founders. Even though known
pedigree exists behind them, there is little point in extending a COI calculation them. The only reason
would be to determine how inbred those effective founders were themselves and what their inter-
relationships might have been.
Playing COI: Using inbreeding Coefficients
Sometimes a breed’s gene pool may receive infusions of new genetic material. Some European registries
allow registration of decendants of unpapered dogs brought in from the country of breed origin, such as a desert-bred Saluqi from Arabia.
Occasionally, even such conservative registries as the AKC will, at a parent club’s request, open a registry to new,
undocumented, individuals. This happened about 20 years ago when a few Basenjis were imported from
Africa. Obviously, such “new blood” could have significant effects on the average COIs in a kennel or even throughout the breed, depending on
how many dogs are added and how often. How much and with whom they are used in breeding will determine
their contribution of new genes..
If a breed is long-established and has
pedigree documentation going back tens of generations without bottlenecks, you would need a big mainframe computer to compute a full
COI in a reasonable amount of time. Since most of us operate PCs and we don’t want to leave them doing nothing
but crunching COI numbers for hours on end, some more-or-less arbitrary number of generations must be
selected beyond the “leveling-off” point mentioned earlier..
In calculating Australian Shepherd
COIs, I use 10 generations because beyond that point my software is known to slow down considerably. A
secondary reason is because Aussie pedigrees are rarely complete to ten generations due to the breed’s recent
origin. By running 10 generations, I get
pretty much all there is to get for that particular breed.
Once you have a PC, software that does COIs, a good breed database, and sufficient knowledge of your breed’s history to decide how many
generations to use in your calculations, it’s time to put it all to work.
First run COIs on all your own dogs. Since few dogs will have such diverse pedigrees that only one common
ancestor will be found, the COI will be a reflection of all the ancestors common to both sides of the pedigree. In order to have a handle on what the
numbers you will get mean, in terms of level of inbreeding, it is helpful to keep in mind what various percentages
would be equivalent to, if there were only one common ancestor or pair of ancestors in the pedigree:
25.00% - parent/offspring or full brother/sister cross 12.50% - half brother/sister,
grandparent/grandpup, or double first cousins crosses 9.75% - great uncle or aunt/great
niece or nephew cross 6.25% - first cousins
Think back to our pal Flux and his 23.4% COI. He is very nearly the equivalent of a parent/offspring mating. If you bred him to his sister, given their
already high level of inbreeding, the pups’ COI would be 44.4%. Anybody glancing at Flux’s pedigree would
probably consider him inbred, and certainly heavily linebred. But it is possible to achieve high COIs without
this kind of close breeding. Linebreeding
on dogs several generations back can result in elevated numbers if the dogs appear frequently enough on both sides
of the pedigree. While this inbred cross of FAbulous’s grandpups might serve the breeder’s short-term goals, it significantly increases the risk of turning
up something unpleasant. And so would a linebreeding with a similar COI.
What’s a breeder to do? We are breeding dogs not numbers and many factors other than COIs need to be
considered when planning a mating. Even so, whenever possible you should try to achieve COIs in the puppies that are at or below the average COI of the
two parents. Thus, if the sire had a COI of 20% and the dam was 10%, you would want the pups’ COI to be 15%
or lower. If a kennel or line’s average COIs have crept dangerously high, serious consideration should be given
to avoiding further crosses to dogs descending from the most frequently seen names in the pedigrees and, as much as possible, to finding mates
which are significant outcrosses.
The nice thing about COIs is that they
can’t be a secret. If you have a dog’s pedigree, you can calculate the COI. In the privacy of your own computer
station, you can figure out the COIs of all the prominent dogs in your breed. You can play with hypothetical matings between any two dogs you choose and
see what the pups’ COI would be.
Playing COI: Using inbreeding Coefficients
For a real-life example, my dog Tank is the result of a father/daughter mating and has a COI of 40.9%. No doubt about it, he’s inbred. Using my pedigree software I can set up all kinds
of hypothetical social activity for the old boy and see where the COI goes. He is heavily linebred on a particular stud dog of a number of years back. However, that dog is not common in most show-line Australian Shepherd pedigrees, so I can
easily find mates—even those with fairly high COIs themselves—who will give him puppies with much lower COIs. If I’m really determined I can hypothetically mate him
to working-line Aussie bitches and in many cases I will drop the COI to less than 5%. All of this without having to risk finding out what any of the owners of those bitches
(especially the working breeders!) think of the idea of poor old Tank having a fling with their girls.
Getting reliable hereditary disease history on your dog’s
ancestors and on his potential mates can be difficult to impossible. If you know your dog has family background for a
disease and there is no available testing to let you know whether he might be carrying the genes for it, breeding for low COIs may reduce your risk of producing the problem.
With a lower COI you are lowering the probability of doubling up on those unwanted genes you know are back there somewhere.
Coefficients of inbreeding are an important tool to apply to your breeding program. Whatever the needs of your kennel or your breed, COIs provide you with a vital bit of
information that should be part of your decision-making process.
Republished with permission - Copyright 2000 C. A. Sharp. All rights reserved. C.A. Sharp is editor of the "Double Helix Network News", the quarterly newsletter for those interested in genetics and hereditary disease in the Australian
Shepherd.
Playing COI: Using inbreeding Coefficients
Typical Stafford Head Shapes
As part of the critical process of choosing a sire and dam, as well as deciding which puppies to keep, below we address the topic of kennel blindness.
"The breeder, to be successful, must look his dogs ...not only in the face, but in the body, front and running gear. Even to themselves many breeders will not acknowledge their failure when they fall short of their objective...and in an effort to convince others of the perfection of their dogs, [they] convince...usually only themselves."
DEFINITIONFound in many kennels of purebred dogs, kennel blindness is a "disease" which renders a breeder incapable of seeing faults in his own dogs. Kennel blind breeders tend to twist and distort the standard to justify the dogs they breed.
PROGNOSIS Because serious faults can become set in a couple of generations, unless quickly diagnosed and treated, kennel blindness can be fatal to a successful breeding program.
SYMPTOMS
1. An inability to see and appreciate the good qualities in a competitor's dogs.
Kennel blind breeders tend to focus on negative features in dogs other than their own. Suggestion: Re-read your breed's standard keeping in mind that most standards delineate the essential aspects of a breed, allowing breeders the freedom to express their own concepts of the non-essentials. In this way a range of excellence may be produced in a breed without sacrificing each dog's ability to fit into the standard.
2. The belief that you have bred the "perfect" dog.No "perfect" dog has ever or will ever be bred in any breed. Even your best can always be improved upon. Suggestion: Realize that your concept of what is ideal
may change. Experience with a breed may gradually change the priority a breeder gives to certain features. A stickler for correct heads may gradually start emphasizing angulation and movement, realizing that the latter are also essential aspects of the breed.
3. Blaming the fact that your dog is not winning on bad judging, politics or anything except the possibility that there may be something wrong with your dog.
Kennel blind people always have an excuse for why their dog didn't win. While some of their reasoning may be legitimate, consistently losing under a variety of judges usually means a dog does not fit the standard in one or more important aspects.
Suggestion: If your dog is not winning, ask several knowledgeable people to evaluate your dog. Tell them to be honest and listen with an open mind.
RISK FACTORS Kennel blindness is more apt to be a problem for the following:
1. Breeders who do not have an 'eye' for a dog.Some breeders are simply not born with an 'eye' for a dog. Despite having read and studied their breed's standard, they are incapable of correctly evaluating structure and movement.
2. Novice breeders who are strongly affected by a dog's temperament and personality.Many kennel blind people think all puppies are cute. These owners usually decide to breed their dog, not to improve the breed, but because they love his personality and want more puppies just like him.
3. Breeders who have produced quality animals in the past but are now struggling to stay on top.Many successful breeders who have had past super stars are usually looking for their next big winner. They may be more prone to over-looking faults in their animals.
4. Breeders working with small numbers of dogs.Because small breeders have less to choose from, they may not want to open their eyes to problems in their breeding program.
Kennel Blindness by Claudia Waller Orlandi, Ph.D.
5. Breeders whose every waking moment revolves around dogs.Making dogs a "live or die" situation can affect objectivity.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT KENNEL BLIND
A. They are truly objective and rarely satisfied with their own dogs, criticizing them more harshly than others would.
B. Regardless of time and effort already spent, they are ready to remove from their program dogs that do not pan out, even to the point of starting over with new foundation stock.
C. They have an 'eye' for a dog and can appreciate a beautiful one regardless of who bred or owns it.
TIPS FOR CURING KENNEL BLINDNESS
If caught in time, kennel blindness can be cured before it has a lasting, detrimental effect on your breeding program. Following are some tips:
1. Avoid over-emphasizing a certain feature in your breeding program to the detriment of overall correctness.
Although most breeders try to emphasize the excellence of the whole dog, it is human nature to over-emphasize certain features. In fact, the importance we give to a particular trait in our dogs is how we express our "breeding personality" and create what we feel comes close to our ideal. One breeder may be a stickler for fronts and another for toplines. .The danger here is that by focusing on just one feature we can become "blind" to other faults that may be creeping into the breeding program.
2. To assess your kennel blindness level, ask someone whose opinion you respect to objectively evaluate your dogs.
Some of the best people to ask are knowledgeable breeders who are not kennel blind themselves. Be sure this person really understands the standard and request that they honestly critique the virtues and faults in your dogs. Ask more than one qualified person and compare their evaluations with your own
3. If you are falling short of your objectives, it is most important to admit it to yourself.
As difficult as it is to admit failure, the realization that our dogs do not possess certain virtues can be the first step in devising a plan to obtain what we really want.
References
Byrne, G. 1989. Der Deutsch-Kurzhaar: The German Shorthaired Pointer. Western Australia, Austed Publishing.
Harris, B.J. F. 1993. Breeding A Litter. New York, Howell.
Onstott, K. 1980. The New Art of Breeding Better Dogs. New York, Howell.
Seranne, A. 1980. The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog. New York, Howell.
Kennel Blindness by Claudia Waller Orlandi, Ph.D.
OUR READERS F IRST STAFFORDS
The views in this article are my views only
Many people question the presence
of terrier in the Staffordshire Bull
Terrier. Some believe that the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier should be
in the utility group.
It also does not follow that those
who believe this automatically
prefer the more bully type dog.
When looking at the history of the
breed some things have to be taken
on face value as a lot of the history
was told in words and not many
had the means to write things
down and if they did write it down
it was only their view. So there is
very little written evidence on the
mixing of different breeds.
The English White Terrier is known
to have been added to the early
crosses that produced the English
Bull Terrier as that has been
documented by Hinks.
Bull baiting was once a popular
past time. When the bulls were
brought to market dogs were set
upon the bulls as it was thought to
thought to tenderise the meat. It
also provided entertainment on
market day. These dogs were often
called butchers dogs or bull dogs
because that what they did.
The most successful dogs went in
low to avoid getting impaled
Bull & Terrier by Chris Kerrigan
“...THE TERRIER HAS MORE TO ADD THAN JUST LENGTH OF JAW AND AGILITY. THE TERRIER HAS GREAT TENACITY AND COURAGE.”
CRIB & ROSA 1811
on the horns and got hold and
hung on. It required great
strength, courage, and tenacity as
to let go before the task was
done often meant serious injury
or death.
At the same time Terriers were
being used as a general all
purpose working dog used in
vermin control and some of the
large terriers were also used for
guarding purposes. Terriers came
in many varieties as their main
purpose was for doing the job his
owner wanted him to do. The
vermin they needed to control
may have been dependent on
where the dog was being used i.e
rural or town.
Terriers came in all shapes and
sizes. If it could do the job
required by his owner it didn’t
really matter what it looked like.
They also came with different
types of coats, short, rough and
smooth. When people think of
terriers, and even terriers that
still earn their keep, we think of
earth dogs as that is what the
term terrier means. Terriers also
provided their own
entertainment in rat catching
contests. The betting was on the
dog that could kill the most
within a certain time frame.
Here speed of kill was needed;
the faster the better. Terriers other
jobs needed great courage. Not all
the vermin the Terrier was used to
kill were as small as rats. Not all
terriers are earth dogs but still
worked at pest control and other
duties.
When blood sports were outlawed
people turned to pitting their dogs
against each other as this was
easier to conceal than bull or bear
baiting.
I believe the dogs first used were
the original bull or butchers dog,
This pitting the dogs against each
other gave their owners a chance
to test the gameness of their dogs
and provide a blood sport
entertainment that was easier to
conceal.
Fighting dogs were mainly owned
by the working classes and were
also used for vermin control to
earn a bit of extra money. The first
cross of Bull and Terrier may even
have been accidental as dogs
tended to be able to be free to
roam and routine spaying was not a
thing that was done.
The description of the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier calls for a
blend of bull and terrier. When
ever any one talks about the
history of the breed it is always
thought that the route was for
terrier to be added to the bull dog
to gain agility and a longer more
punishing head.
In saying that I think they do a
disservice to the terrier. The terrier
has more to add than just length of
jaw and agility. The terrier has great
tenacity and courage. Terriers are
generally loyal and affectionate to
their owners but can be "big
characters" requiring a firm hand.
The original bull/butchers dog was
designed to go in low take a hold
of the bull and not let go. This
required a strong dog with great
tenacity. Latching on and holding
would not have not have made the
most exciting of spectacles when
it was dog against dog. The terrier
was a lighter dog, feisty, courageous
bordering on stupidity and fast.
Straight in for the kill. This might
have been more exciting but would
mean the fight was over before the
betting had begun.
So you had the great strength of
the bull dog and the skills
Bull & Terrier by Chris Kerrigan
ENGLISH WHITE TERRIER
BLACK & TAN TERRIER
“...I BELIEVE THE BULL/BUTCHERS DOG WAS MORE OF A STATUS DOG THAN THE MORE COMMON GARDEN TERRIER SO THE PRESENCE OF TERRIER BLOOD WAS OFTEN DENIED TO GIVE A HIGHER STATUS TO THE DOG OWNER...”
needed to worry a bull, add that to
the terrier it would give the
strength and the endurance,
together with its feisty courage and
speed to make the perfect fighting
dog. Strength, tenacity, courage and
speed, made for a much more
exciting experience for the
spectator and more lucrative for for
betting on.
As a thought I believe the bull/
butchers dog was more of a status
dog than the more common garden
terrier so the presence of terrier
blood was often denied to give a
higher status to the dog owner and
as terrier of choice for rat catchers
in the 19th century was the black
and tan terrier maybe why we don’t
accept black and tan in the
Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
www.staffordwelfare.com
www.ca fepress .com/thankdog
www.rawinstinctmagazine.com
www.sbtcv.org.au
http://forum.bullbreedsonline.com
Send your letters to [email protected] or - Send your Q&A question to ASK TSK
Letters To The EditorDear Staff Knot Magazine
I am new to this breed but showed several other terrier breeds for years. To me no matter the breed you are showing structure should be important - something so many people don’t seem to understand or care about. I see dogs who are beautifully trained to stand in the ring or allow themselves to be stood for exam - but when they move they look like three dogs fighting against one another. Front arms either paddling like mad to keep up or wildly flailing about in circles. Rears that have piston motion or no drive. Soft or roached toplines on the go. When a dog is in motion it quickly becomes apparent whether or not there is a structural issue that needs noting.
My reason for writing to your magazine today is only to point out to judges and breeders - pay attention to movement and structure. Get your hands on the dog to see what is going on if something doesnt move smoothly with economy of effort. If it doesnt - something is not correct. Please stop rewarding this. Please stop breeding for this. A Stafford should move effortlessly, not with a rolling gait or sloppy movement or lazy bobbing motion. Learn to look for correct structure, breed for it, reward it. The breed will be better off. Dont mess up a beautiful breed.
Thank you for your time. I enjoy the magazine - keep up the good work.
(Prefer to remain anonymous since I am new to the breed)
Dear The Stafford Knot,
Thank you once again for this very informative publication. I learn something new each time I open an issue. I also appreciate the back issues being made available. I find the magazine easy to read and I love the photos - especially the historic ones.
Thank you,
Brian Gable, Australia
OUR READERS F IRST STAFFORDS
L-BELLE
LITTER ANNOUNCEMENT
AKC/UKC CH Jayneze Diamonds and Guns RA NA NAJ CGC x FO URO3 UCDX UWPO FO URO3 UCDX UWPO UGWPCH1 UACH UNJ GRCH Dynamo Sureshot Smart as a Fox VCD2 TD CDX AX AXJ RE
SPD NJ-N TT CGC (UKC SUPERDOG)
L-belle Staffords welcomes "Racer" and "Rev" to the world!Owner/Breeder: Christine Edwards
L2-HGA & HC Clear by parentage
Send us your BRAGS, Litter Announcements, Seminar and Show announcements and we can post them here. Be sure to fill out the BRAGS form
found HERE
The Stafford Knot Brags, Shows, Litters
WAVEMAKER
NEW TITLES
WEBSITE
UKC CH Wavemaker Hula Popper, CAT, CAA, CGC(Sabahouse Touch of Class at Zoellies x UWP UKC GrCH Cazomic Look Busy, CAT CGC)
‘Hula’ got her 11th pass in Lure Coursing thus achieving her Coursing Ability Advanced title and one
passes towards her Excellent title at the Greyhound Association of North Georgia AKC Lure Coursing CAT tests in Calhoun, Ga. This makes ‘Hula’ the 2nd Stafford ever to achieve this title and the
youngest ever to achieve CAA at only 15.5 months old. She also passed the AKC CGC.Bred and Owned by Lynn & Jim CaswellClear by parentage L2-HGA, HC, PHPV tested unaffected
GEMINI
NEW TITLE
WEBSITE
AKC CH / INT CH/ UKC UAGIII URO3 UCD FO UWP GR CH Sureshot Gemini Movn on Up CD RE NA NAJ
‘Uppy’ got her 3rd and final leg in Rally Excellent at the N.CAL SBT Stafford Showdown.
Breeder: Karyn Dawes Owners: Beth Lloyd and Karyn Dawes
L2-HGA & HC Clear by DNA
Send us your BRAGS, Litter Announcements, Seminar and Show announcements and we can post them here. Be sure to fill out the BRAGS form
found HERE
The Stafford Knot Brags, Shows, Litters
WAVEMAKER
NEW TITLE
WEBSITE
UKC GrCH AKC Pointed UWP Cazomic Look Busy, URO1, CAT CGC(Cragails Dancing Brave x Willowstaff Hot Gossip)
‘Nealie’ got her 3rd Q in UKC Rally - winning 1st place for all three trials - therefore earning her
URO1 title in Perry, Ga at the Middle Georgia KC shows
Clear by parentage L2-HGA, HC, PHPV unaffected, CERF 11, 12, OFA hips good, Elbows normal, Patella normal, Cardiac - all certificates availableBred and Owned by Lynn & Jim Caswell
Wanted Samples for PHPV/PPSC Research.If you own or have bred a dog diagnosed with either of these eye conditions, could you help by supplying mouth swabs from the affected dog plus its parents and litter-mates.
Any PHPV positives found in litter screenings are not reported in the Breeds Record Supplement, nor are any cases of PPSC - hence this appeal.
If sufficient samples from affected cases can be obtained, it is hoped that research to determine the inheritance of both conditions may be commenced, possibly leading eventually to DNA tests similar to those available for HC and L-2-HGA.
A copy of the eye test certificate and a copy of the dogs pedigree would also be appreciated. All samples and information will of course be confidential just in case anyone has any concern's about that.
If you can help with this and thus help the Stafford , can you please contact one of the following who can supply swabs and any information required.
Diane Taylor - 01670 823635 email - [email protected]
Lesley McFadyen - 01205 871762 email - [email protected]
Archie Bryden - 01772 715807 email - [email protected]
Many thanks for your co-operation.
The Stafford Knot wishes to provide the following information for your convenience. TSK encourages health testing of all Staffordshire Bull Terriers, especially those used for breeding purposes and/or performance events. The testing is made available to be used as a tool to eliminate certain diseases from a breeding program. Used wisely, this can be accomplished. The following testing information is provided as a service to you, however should not be used as the only health checks your Stafford receives. There are many more health issues to be considered when breeding dogs, caring for dogs and when looking to buy a purebred dog. As always, please seek the advice of your personal veterinary specialists for your day-to-day needs of your dogs. Thank you!
***PLEASE send in your test results for the databases. Accurate records are valuable to the breed***
Remember, if you choose to breed from a carrier you must test the entire resulting litter to determine clears & carriers. Thus if you choose to keep a carrier from that litter, the same must be done for each subsequent litter resulting from
breeding carriers. If you sell carrier pups, please consider spay/neuter so that more carriers are not produced. With the advent and ease of genetic testing many of these diseases could be eliminated by only breeding clear to clear. To use a
known carrier requires an extra step of responsibility. There is no excuse to breed an untested dog.
Testing Facility For L2-Hga & HC
Animal Health Trust
Lanwades Park, Kentford
New Market, Suf folk CB87UU
Phone: 01638 751000
Fax: 01638 750410
Email Website Direct Link
Testing Facility For L2-Hga Only
Canine Genetic Diseases - University Of Mo.
321 Connaway Hal lColumbia, Missouri 65211-5120 USA
Phone: 573-884-3712
Fax: 573-884-5414
Email Website Direct Link
Testing Facility For HC in USA:
http://www.animalgenetics.us/Canine/HC.htm
* * * Please note - a CERF or PHPV test done by a canine ophthalmologist is NOT the same test as the DNA test for HC - BOTH tests should be carried out * * *
Other labs offering L-2-HGA test in Europe:
France www.antagene.com
Czech Republic www.genomia.cz
Germany www.laboklin.de / www.laboklin.co.uk
Testing Facility For Hip, Elbows, Patella and Cardiac Certifications *
Orthopedic Foundation For Animals (OFA)
2300 E Nifong BoulevardColumbia, Missouri, 65201-3806 USA
Phone: 573-442-0418 Fax: 573-875-5073
Email Website
*Note: A Board Certified Cardiologist must perform all Cardiac exams.
A qualified licensed Veterinarian can provide X-Ray films for hips, elbows and Patella.
Testing Facility For Eye Certifications*
Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF)
1717 Philo RdP O Box 3007Urbana, IL 61803-3007 USAPhone: 217-693-4800 Fax: 217-693-4801
Email Website
*Note: A Board Certified Canine Ophthalmologist must perform all CERF exams.
CERF exams are annual exams for breeding stock.
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The Stafford Knot Featured Rescues
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PLEASE consider rescuing a Stafford needing a home before purchasing a puppy. SBTCA always has wonderful dogs who have been screened and are looking for permanent homes. All the applications can be found on the rescue pages of the National club website. We list these dogs as a courtesy. The dogs are NOT here with us. They are in different parts of the country. Thank you for considering rescue. Donations and advertisements in TSK benefit Stafford rescue.
Denver - Female - N. CADenver's owenrs have lost their home and cannot keep her. She is an older Stafford, born in 1998, who would do best as the only dog. Denver loves to play fetch with the ball, she also loves all people and especially children. She has been to obedience class, and is very eager to please. She loves getting scratched. She loves to take walks, but since she is older, she does not need long walks. She also loves to eat. She is a very loving dog. She is not food aggressive but a little dog aggressive. She needs a final place to call her own in her last days. Please consider giving Denver a place to call home. CONTACT
Several Staffords - GASeveral Staffords owner passed away recently so they need new homes. Please help find great pet homes for these wonderful dogs. Varying ages and colors. Available to good , loving & permanent homes.
CONTACT
Margo - Female - NCThis adorable little girl is about 2 years old. She’s a sweet, gentle, affectionate dog who’s made such great progress at the shelter thanks to the efforts of our volunteers – she’s a great favorite with volunteers and staff. Margo loves everyone she meets; she likes to go for walks, and she’s a great cuddler.Though she gets along with other dogs, she’s had so little in her life up until now that she’s not inclined to share her “stuff” or her people, so she would be happiest as an only dog.Margo is looking for a calm, loving, low-stress home.CONTACT
The Stafford Knot Featured Rescues
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PLEASE consider rescuing a Stafford needing a home before purchasing a puppy. SBTCA always has wonderful dogs who have been screened and are looking for permanent homes. All the applications can be found on the rescue pages of the National club website. We list these dogs as a courtesy. The dogs are NOT here with us. They are in different parts of the country. Thank you for considering rescue. Donations and advertisements in TSK benefit Stafford rescue.
Leo - Male - FLADORABLE red & white pied Male, in South Florida, Born 2005, AKC registered, was adopted out and the home he went to was foreclosed on and they returned him. Current on all shots, is neutered, crate-trained, house- broken, heartworm negative.
Leo is dog aggressive but he did get along fine with a submissive female he used to live with - experienced home please.CONTACT
Pippa - Female - N CAMeet the New Pippa! Pippa came to us from a Shelter extremely fearful in Nov 2011. She would cautiously crawl on her belly and freeze in fear or try to run and hide. With a team of fosters we have been able to literally bring Pippa out of her shell. Although still fearful she is stellar with people and like kids and gets along well with other dogs. She is approx 12-16 months old and current on her shots but still needs to be spayed. Pippa is now taking treats and giving eye contact and LOVES to snuggle and hang out with her people. She sits and waits and goes potty on command. She walks well on the leash. Pippa is in Northern California. CONTACT
Maggie - Female - CTMaggie weighs 35 lbs 3 yo, and is happy to be picked up and carried around! Maggie is a total love and just wants to cuddle!! Maggie loves to be with people, however she really needs to be the only animal in the home. She came from Tennessee area. We know that she lived a terrible existence there chained outside and forcibly breed numerous times. When she arrived at the rescue, she loved people and was horribly dog aggressive. Working with her, she is now much more tolerant of other dogs if they don't invade her space. We have also found out that she likes big quiet male dogs. But, she needs to be kept away from little dogs and cats. CONTACT
The Stafford Knot Stud Gallery
The Stafford Knot lists health tested stud dogs in the gallery, however, it is up to you to verify this testing by asking to see the certificates for each test if they are not made available here for download. We have screened this to the best of our ability, but cannot guarantee dogs listed have been tested. PLEASE ask for copies of certificates before using dogs at
stud for the health and the future of our breed. Thank you.Stud Gallery Ads run annually - Form to advertise in Stud Gallery is found HERE
STILL TIME TO RENEW FOR 2012!
DayDream Ch. Slam Dance, CGC (Imp UK)“Nigel”
DNA - AKC - #P24384L2-HGA, HC, PHPV Unaffected, OFA/PennHip Hips, Patella, CERFhttp://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=678935#animal
Tel 530-306-0305
Frozen semen available to health tested bitches only.More photos of Nigel available. Health documents available by request.
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AbsoluteBIS BISS CH Belnore Dream Keeper OFA‘Beau’
AKC DNA - V426729Clear of L2-HGA, HC, OFA/PennHip Hips, OFA/PennHip Elbows, Patella, OFA Cardiac - documentation available upon request
Tel 337-255-3508
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RamstaffCh Richmax Dreamcatcher“Eddie”
L2-HGA, HC, OFA Cardiac
Tel 770-888-5255
Available to clear tested bitches onlyHealth documents available by request
RamstaffCh Ramstaff American Ikon, TT“Ike”
L2-HGA, HC, OFA Cardiac
770-888-5255
Available to clear tested bitches onlyHealth documents available by request
The Stafford Knot Stud Gallery
The Stafford Knot lists health tested stud dogs in the gallery, however, it is up to you to verify this testing by asking to see the certificates for each test if they are not made available here for download. We have screened this to the best of our ability, but cannot guarantee dogs listed have been tested. PLEASE ask for copies of certificates before using dogs at
stud for the health and the future of our breed. Thank you.Stud Gallery Ads run annually - Form to advertise in Stud Gallery is found HERE
STILL TIME TO RENEW FOR 2012!
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=======================================MoonstruckCH Moonstruck The Stamler Express, TT“Stamler”
L2-HGA, HC, PHPV Unaffected
"Available to Heath Tested Bitches with Correct Stafford Temperaments Only"Health documents available by request
MoonstruckMoonstruck Blue Asher, TT“Asher”
L2-HGA, HC, PHPV Unaffected
301-261-4202 "Available to Heath Tested Bitches with Correct Stafford Temperaments Only"Health documents available by request
The Stafford Knot Stud Gallery
The Stafford Knot lists health tested stud dogs in the gallery, however, it is up to you to verify this testing by asking to see the certificates for each test if they are not made available here for download. We have screened this to the best of our ability, but cannot guarantee dogs listed have been tested. PLEASE ask for copies of certificates before using dogs at
stud for the health and the future of our breed. Thank you.Stud Gallery Ads run annually - Form to advertise in Stud Gallery is found HERE
STILL TIME TO RENEW FOR 2012!
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=======================================The Stafford Knot is an independent publication and not affiliated with any specific breed club. TSK is a collaborative effort
from like minded Stafford enthusiasts whose common goal is to support the health testing of purebred Staffords. We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any material submitted.
All material on this site is copyright protected & cannot be used unless indicated without the written consent of The Stafford Knot
Thank you.Contact Us
Merchandise now available - proceeds benefit Stafford rescue worldwide!CLICK to shop and donate to SBT Rescue!
ElvidGrCh/U-Ch Heaven's Warrior De El Doradostaff “Bruce”
L2-HGA and HC Clear, PHPV Unaffected, CERF, OFA Hips Good, OFA Elbows, Patellas, & Cardiac Normal, AKC DNA - V615701
[email protected]://www.elividstaff.com
"Health documents available by request. Available at stud to approved, health-tested bitches only."
The Stafford Knot Classified AdvertisingThe Stafford Knot is offering classified advertising of goods and services which are dog related.
Ads are limited to 20 words, no images. For larger ads please consider gallery advertising. The Stafford Knot cannot be held responsible for any items sold through this page. All sales are between seller and purchaser.
TSK makes no warranties either written or implied.
Information on how to advertise in TSK classifieds can be found HERETIME TO RENEW!
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Thankdog - All Breeds Equal Help fight BSL promote responsible dog ownership. T-shirts, Calendars, Stickers, & more. Proceeds benefit Stafford [email protected] www.cafepress.com/Thankdog
2010 Chevy Express 2500 Extended Express Van27,600 miles, Coleman Polar Cub Roof Air + Heat, Finished interior, 30 AMP Hook-up + ExtrasFor details contact - 770-883-5205 or email [email protected]
Take advantage now of this incredible deal on classified advertising! These prices wont last long!
Bull Breeds Online Your online forum for all Bull Breed lovers and canine enthusiasts! www.bullbreedsonline.com‘Like” us on Face Book
YOUR AD HERE!
Limited Editions FitPaws Canine Conditioning Equipment, Natural Treats + Chews, Toys, Tugs, Collars. Unique accessories for your unique pets. www.limitededitions1.com [email protected]
Young Living Experience therapeutic benefits of essential oils for your family - pets too! Use Independent Distributor Referral #1166695CLICK for more info
YOUR AD HERE!
YOUR AD HERE!
YOUR AD HERE!YOUR AD HERE!
The Stafford Knot Breeder DirectoryThe Stafford Knot cannot be held responsible for the breeders listed below. Please do your homework and ask to see health certificates, discuss terms and decide whether the Stafford is the correct breed for you prior to purchasing a puppy. Remember, Stafford rescues are also available and make be wonderful pets in the right homes! A Stafford is not the breed for everyone. Please be responsible dog owners and take responsibility for you and your dog in all situations. Contact us with questions.
We reserve the right to approve or disapprove any material submitted Form to advertise in Breeders Directory can be found HERE
AlabamaCornerstoneThe FolmarsAlabamahttp://www.cornerstonestaffords.net205-966-8114L2-HGA, HC
"Staffords that are exemplary in type & balance"
GeorgiaWavemaker StaffordsJim & Lynn CaswellGA, USA EMAILwww.wavemakerstaffords.com770-666-6121L2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, Patella, Cardiac, CERF
“Naturally reared - Promoting health, exercise & the Breed Standard - Wavemaker Staffords....naturally”
CaliforniaChavier StaffordsKim Washington-SmithSouthern CaliforniaEMAIL 213 - 760-9081L2-HGA, HC, CERF
"Breeding Staffords with Charm"
Illinois1 of a Kind StaffordsAndrew CurrierPeoria IlEMAIL 309-691-7134L2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, Patella, Cardiac
“Unequalled in type, balance, fitness & health”
CaliforniaGemini KennelBeth LloydSouthern CaliforniaEMAILwww.angelfire.com/ca2/geminikennelL2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, Patella, Cardiac, CERF
“From show dogs to GO dogs.”
MarylandHi-Impact Staffords (Reg)Rich NewbergerBaltimorehttp://hiimpactstaffords.com410-323-4141L2-HGA, HC, PHPV, Hips, Elbows, Cardiac, CERF
“Bred to standard not by design”
GeorgiaRamstaff StaffordsKevin BeezleyGeorgia, USAEMAILwww.ramstaffkennels.com770-888-5255L2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, Cardiac, CERF
“Ramstaff...focusing on the standard blend of bull & terrier with true stafford temperament...always”
MarylandMoonstruck StaffordsJudy HellerEdgewater, MD 21037EMAILwww.moonstruckstaffords.com 301-261-4202L2-HGA, HC
Quality Staffordshire Bull Terriers of Correct Type & Temperament for Show, Performance & Companion "The Ultimate Nanny Dog”
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MichiganBlessings' KennelCathy Micallef Southeastern MIEMAILwww.blessingskennel.org 734-634-9328L2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, Patella, Cardiac, CERF
“Wonderful companions with show & working potential!”
Wellington, New ZealandBattleaxeGrant & Louise [email protected] http://www.battleaxekennels.com0064 478-9313 L2-HGA, HC, PHPV
VirginiaElvid StaffordsSterling, Virginiahttp://www.elividstaff.comEMAIL
“Staffords that exemplify the Standard both in the home and show & performance rings"
YOUR AD HERE!
WisconsinMSLF KennelsCindy BundyEMAIL 262-857-9412L2-HGA, HC, Hips, Elbows, CERF, Other
“We strive to promote sound minds and bodies.”
TIME TO RENEW FOR 2012!
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Balance = Lack of Exaggeration
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested. Updates will begin in June 2012
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
"Non-conformity with these limits is a fault" Any departure from these limits should be considered a fault and the
‘SERIOUSNESS’ with which the fault should be regarded, should be in exact proportion to its DEGREE.
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
Illustrations below taken from “The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Handbook” by John F. Gordon, 1951
The head should appear clean. No wrinkle or bunched up expression. One should strive for 2/3 to 1/3 ratio head to muzzle with a definite stop but not an EXAGGERATED stop or lack of stop. The stop itself should be almost vertical. The easiest way to determine accurate stop is to place your thumb on the stop and look at the angle of your thumb. Do not be fooled by the profile view of the eye socket and mistake this for the stop. The lip should be very clean, thin and tight to the teeth meeting top and bottom with no flews or wrinkled, fleshy or spongey excess thus giving the Stafford a somewhat serious expression at times. The lip should not turn down at the end or be excessive. Exaggerations of under jaw include total lack or under jaw, weak under jaw or too strong an under jaw. None of these are correct. Depending upon the cleanness of the lip - this can be difficult to asses without a hands on going over.
The nose itself may turn up slightly at the tip, but keep in mind the plane of the muzzle and the head - they should be parallel to one another. When the muzzle turns up more than the plane of the top skull the dog has a dish face and if the planes dip downward - a down face - neither is clean, balanced and will be exaggerated in expression. When the muzzle is too short or too long they will lack balance. Ears can deceive on a glance so best to get your hands on the dogs head and feel for placement, thickness of leather and size. More on heads in a later article.
Does the dog have sufficient length of leg? Can you see daylight under him/her? If not is it due to a short upper arm or just overall shortness of leg all around? A balanced Stafford should measure the same from the withers to the ground - as it does from the withers to the base of the tail set. Staffords are a square breed. They are not low to the ground or squatty. They are not way up on leg either. Enough leg, enough back - not too much, not too little. Is there massive bone or fine bone? Neither is balanced. Staffords are square - BALANCED with no EXAGGERATION..
Is the animal wider in front than looks natural or is it pinched in front? Neither is correct. The front legs should appear to drop directly down from the shoulder. The front shouldn't appear to be ‘in’ or ‘out’, and MOST CERTAINLY certainly shouldn't look like a bulldog. The legs straight, no weakness at pastern but the tight well padded feet DO turn out a little. Not a lot, and not straight as in other terrier breeds. The rear should appear strong - not HUGE and not weak and narrow - somewhat even to the front when viewed from above.
There should be a definite waist line with approximately 4 fingers width between the last rib and the hip bone. One should see that last rib as well, showing no fat or wrinkle and sufficient tuck up from the profile.
A Stafford is certainly well muscled, yet not bunched muscle - long and lean muscle is much more suited to the breed and its original intended purpose. Not a heavyweight boxer but more like a middleweight. It must be able to move easily, be active and agile. Too much bunched muscle is exaggeration and the dog will lack balance. Not enough and he will appear soft and will not function correctly. Exaggeration of muscle in either direction will affect movement as well.
Its all about a balance. NO EXAGGERATION.
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
It is possible that some breeders and exhibitors do not completely understand what a correct scissors bite should look like. If in doubt, ask your veterinarian or spend some time with an
experienced mentor who can give you some hands-on education with a variety of dogs. Remember that bad bites are hereditary and breeding Staffords with incorrect bites will assure the continuation of the problem for generations to come. As breeders, it is our job to let judges know that correct bites are important to us. Similarly judges can let us know that they will accept no less.
Faulty BitesCorrect Bites
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
Males 14”...... 28lbs14 1/2”..30.45lbs15”........32.85lbs15 1/2”...35.5lbs16” ....... 38lbs
Females14” ........24lbs14 1/2”...26.25lbs15”.........28.80lbs15 1/2”...31.31lbs16”.........34lbs
“Heights Being Related to Weights” Size, Proportion, SubstanceHeight at shoulder: 14 to 16 inches. Weight: Dogs, 28 to 38 pounds; bitches, 24 to 34 pounds, these heights being related to weights. Non-conformity with these limits is a fault. In proportion, the length of back, from withers to tail set, is equal to the distance from withers to ground.
Ideal Stafford ears should be
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
We are seeking volunteers to help update this project. Please email [email protected] if interested. Knowledge of the breed, structure, genetics and movement is suggested.
Illustration at left taken from “The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Handbook” by John F. Gordon, 1951 - showing a correct Stafford front - “Legs reasonably straight in line from shoulders, showing no weakness at pasterns, from where the feet turn out a little.”
Illustration at right taken from “The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Handbook” by John F. Gordon, 1951
The Stafford Knot Back Issues
January 2010Issue #1, Vol #1Articles include: Joseph Dunn - Hints to the NoviceSBT=Bulldog+Terrier
February 2010Issue #2, Vol #1Articles include:SBT Breed Seminar, Raymond Crilly - Judges EdBreeders Code of SilenceSBT Exhibition Center(Past Crufts Wnners story NOT included)
March 2010Issue #3, Vol #1Articles include:Info on Health TestingIllustrated Breed StandardBalance & Movement - Judges EdPHPV - Tala’s Story - HealthDemodectic Mange - Alternative Therapies for Treatments - Health(WKC stories NOT included)
April 2010Issue #4, Vol #1Articles include:Info on Health TestingIllustrated Breed StandardRX For Whelping & Caesarians - Breeders Ed What You See is What You GetThe Tragic Loss of Bloodlines & Mentoring in America - Breeders EdA Very Special Boy Meets His 1st Stafford
May 2010Issue #5, Vol #1Articles include:Info on Health TestingIllustrated Breed StandardTan Point Markings - AKA Black & Tan Judges/Breeders EdStaffords in Working TrialsFibro Cartila....what? - HealthHow to Select Against Genetic Disease with Knowledge, Not Hope - Breeders Ed
June 2010Issue #6, Vol #1Articles include:Info on Health TestingIllustrated Breed StandardGDC Genetics Interview Breeders EdBalance in the SBT Judges/Breeders EdOne By One - What YOU can do!The Disappearing Sperm - Breeders Ed/HealthSBT Breed Record Holders, Part 1
July 2010Issue #7, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardDogs Who Fly - Dock DivingJudging My Way - Judges/ Exhibitors EdThe Holy GrailHow to Weight Pull with your Staffordshire Bull TerrierTrack Training - Starting OutFlyball - “Organized Chaos”
August 2010 - Veterans!Issue #8, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardGrey Muzzles & Puppy Dog TalesStaying in the GameMy SunshineTammyAlfALSO may be viewed HERE
September 2010 Issue #9, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardTraining Your StaffordForequartersWhat Price GloryEarly Neurological StimulationALSO may be viewed HERE
October 2010 Issue #10, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardLiving With CushingsDon't Steal My JoyWhat is Natural RearingUsing Genetic PedigreeALSO may be viewed HERE
email [email protected] for copies of articles if not linked here
The Stafford Knot Back Issues
November 2010 Issue #11, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardMiracles Do HappenNostalgiaThe Versatile StaffordThe Genetic PedigreeArnica MontanaAlso may be viewed HERE
December 2010 Issue #12, Vol #1Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardThe Breed TodayPuppies For ChristmasPets As TherapyUnderstanding Recessive GenesA Tribute To TrilbyWhen Things Don’t Go As PlannedAlso may be viewed HERE
January-February 2011 Issue #1, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardArthritisHow Cassie Became an AustralianObedience ChampionWhat is L2-HGA?Teaching Bite InhibitionThe Truth About VaccinesThe Eukanuba ExperienceQ&A - ToplinesAlso may be viewed HERE
March - April 2011 Issue #2, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardCherish Every MomentImportance of Nutrition in Natural HealingWhat is CERF?Competitive ObedienceUnderstanding Judging ConsistencyHow Diatomaceous Earth WorksQ&A - UnderjawAlso may be viewed HERE
May - June 2011 Issue #3, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardTally Ho - Lure CoursingThe Topline of the SBTThe Rule of FivesInterview - Norman Berry (Rendorn)Renal Disease in CaninesHereditary Cataracts in StaffordsQ&A - BitesAlso may be viewed HERE
July - August 2011 Issue #4, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardBreed Specific LegislationHip DysplasiaPreferred Breed TypeThe Problem with Dog ParksWhat Veterinarians are Saying About the Raw DietInterview with Tony Brindley (Cabrindle)How It All BeganAlso may be viewed HERE
Sept - Oct 2011 Issue #5, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardGot Itch?The Backyard PuppySportsmanship, Part 1Sportsmanship RevisitedDog ShowingQ&A - Slipped HocksAlso may be viewed HERE
Nov - Dec 2011 Issue #6, Vol #2Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardThe SBT Standard - A Personal InterpretationBreeding - The Big PictureWhere Have All The Pure Breeds Gone?The Ostrich SyndromeFoster Mom Finds RewardsThe Head of a Staffordshire Bull terrierQ&A - Hocks Let DownAlso may be viewed HERE
Jan - Feb 20112Issue #1, Vol #3Articles include:Illustrated Breed StandardFaultlessness vs VirtueA Dog Named TillyBSL - Banning LassieMeet the BreedWhat is Your Target?Choice of Stud DogLetter To The Editor: ImportsAlso may be viewed HERE
Important Lessons
Are we missing out on important learning opportunities due to our competitive nature?
Recently I have begun to ponder whether or not the longer I am ‘involved in dogs’ the more I am missing out instead of the other way around. Have I changed over the years into someone who only speaks and doesnt hear? Do I hear but forget to listen? Am I ready with what I want to say next so that I dont absorb what is being said to me now?
Granted, not all of what I am being told is something I currently subscribe to - but I might be missing out on something I dont yet know. I cant know everything. I cant have all the answers. Even if I read all the books, saw all those dog shows, visited all those kennels....there is simply too much information out there for one person to know.
I try to pay more attention to what others around me are doing and saying regarding their own dogs. I have tried not to let personal feelings or ideas jade what I observe.
One thing I learned is even those who do things far differently from myself have something to offer in the way of learning. I cannot pre-judge based upon hearsay, rumor or even on past personal experience. Even the rudest of people may have a great tip. Someone who breeds more often than I do has helpful whelping tips. Someone who might import a lot of dogs is current on canine import laws.
Just because you listen doesnt mean you must approve, condone or agree - but by listening and observing we can also learn. Dont dismiss that person just in case one day you need their help. Listen more. Judge less. Other fanciers may be your competition inside the ring, but outside - competition should cease.
The Stafford Knot is looking for active volunteers to help us with this publication. Please consider volunteering or donating today. Spread the word and purchase advertisements. The breed is becoming quite popular, and as it does, rescue is becoming overwhelmed. Thank you for helping to promote health testing in the breed and raising money for Stafford rescues - Share TSK with someone! Thank you to all of you for supporting TSK!
Go hug your Staffords!
Lynn Caswell, Sr. Editor
From the Editor
The Stafford Knot The Back Page
TSK WANTS YOU!
SEND US YOUR ARTICLES, EXPERIENCES, IDEAS PLUS QUESTIONS FOR OUR Q&A PAGE!
TSK BENEFITS STAFFORD RESCUES WORLDWIDE BUT WE CANT HELP WITHOUT YOUR HELP
THINK ABOUT A GALLERY AD, STUD AD, BRAG, CLASSIFIED OR BREEDER DIRECTORY AS AN AFFORDABLE WAY TO HELP RESCUE PLUS ADVERTISE YOUR DOG, KENNEL, COMPANY OR PRODUCTS.
